


Whumptober Day 22 - Hallucination

by TexdoesHalo



Series: Whumptober - 2019 [21]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Crash Landing, Food Poisoning, Hallucinations, Hurt Rhys, Jack can only save you so many times, Jack saves the day, M/M, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Poison, Rhys is an idiot, Rhys please stop being stupid, Stranded, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019, lovable dumbass, vacation gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 03:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21155054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TexdoesHalo/pseuds/TexdoesHalo
Summary: Rhys is an idiot. Usually a lovable one. But sometimes....Sometimes he's just a plain idiot.





	Whumptober Day 22 - Hallucination

Why was everything spinning? Where was he? When did he sit down? Where did Jack go?

Those were the questions Rhys found himself thinking as he swayed in place on the dirty jungle floor. He and Jack were on a “vacation” to one of the Edens, damn his muddled brain, but he couldn’t remember which one.

What was supposed to be a relaxing week on the beach though quickly spiraled into chaos when their descending shuttle was hit by something massive. Jack swore he heard screeching as they plummeted to the ground and poor Rhys was too dazed to add anything.

By the time he had woken up, Jack had already pulled him out of the wreckage and scavenged anything useful. The man was in full survival mode, giving Rhys exactly 3 minutes to regain his senses before hauling the kid to his feet and getting them on their way.

To where? Jack didn’t have a clue, but anywhere was better than the crash site as the noise from their impact was bound to draw in some unwanted guests. Any other day the bloodthirsty former Vault Hunter would’ve  _ loved  _ to hang around and see what monsters the planet had for him to slaughter. But...with Rhys at his side and still so out of it, he couldn’t afford to put him in any more danger.

By midday they were exhausted from trekking through the dense foliage, taking a short break in a small clearing. That’s when Rhys’ stomach announced it’s emptiness and the miserable company man started searching for something to eat.

He was so damn hungry that when he found a bright pink fruit-like ball hanging from a nearby tree, the idiot didn’t even pause to scan it with his Echo-eye before digging in. Luckily the effects were instant, Rhys staggering backward as harsh coughs racked his body, the convulsions sending blood-flecked spittle flying across the clearing.

A warm presence was by the trembling cyborg’s side in seconds, big hands carefully lowering him to the ground as he fought to breathe, 

“J-J-a-ack..h-e-elp…”

Jack didn’t want to leave Rhys’ side, but when his condition refused to improve, the older man went racing off into the forest, presumably heading back to the shuttle to see if he could find any Anshin in the wreck.

Left alone in the dark jungle, Rhys managed to drag his still quivering body over to a tree stump, propping himself up against the rough wood with a wet cough. His hands were covered by his own blood, the world continuing to spin relentlessly as the poison coursed through his system.

Colors exploded in his vision, like a firework show to celebrate his imminent demise. Maybe in another setting Rhys would’ve found it funny, but at the moment he just wanted Jack…

He wanted Jack so badly. Terror and pain brought tears to his eyes as he sat there, alone, helpless,  _ dying.  _ He was going to die before Jack got back, he just knew it. Did he hear his mom? T-that sounded like his mom? Oh god was he hallucinating? Fuck he’d lost it, had to mean he was at the end right? 

Was this what everyone talked about? That bright light at the end of the tunnel? Hearing the voices of everyone you loved calling out to you? Telling you that it was okay and it was time to go? To join them?

If so then why didn’t he hear Jack’s voice? ...wait...wait there it was. But why? Why didn’t he sound like the others? He didn’t sound calm or at peace, he sounded...frantic. Panicked. Why did he-

“RHYS! RHYS COME ON!! COME ON COME BACK TO ME DAMMIT!!”

A stabbing pain ripped through Rhys’ thigh, vision clearing with a loud gasp as the Anshin flowed through his system. Red, glazed eyes turned to the man at his side, a loopy smile tugging on his lips as a blood-stained hand raised to cup a defined cheek.

“Jack…”

No. No he wasn’t dying. Not today. Today he was very much alive. And Rhys was going to stay that way.

They still had a vacation to enjoy right?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed! I know this is a day late but life continues to be a major pain in my ass. Sorry 'bout that.
> 
> Kudos and comments energize me more than coffee! Mmmmmm coffeeeeee~


End file.
